i love my 404 and i use it far more than my mpc :/ it has its limitations but so accessible and immediate.

the swing on the 404sx is godly. and to my knowledge hasnt been adapted into a "swing function" preset for any DAW, so its rare and the FX on a 404 are second to none. basically an electronic musicians wet dream. like a linear digital tape sampler with a ton of great effects. and the shits portable (i really only use the portability to sit on the couch and make beats, but you could take it to a park/school/bus and get down)

i would reccomend the SX over its 12bit counterpart. true the 12bit is that perfect hiphop conversion but the added features of the SX make the OG 404 obsolete, imo. some folks like the original 12 bit sound and others like the more modern sound of the SX. i have an s900 so if i need 'that' sound, i got it